Kirk here,
Do these thoughts run through your mind? Even a little bit of the time?
“I’m not good enough.”
“They’re going to find me out.”
“I should be better at….”
“I’m not enough of an expert to charge….”
You’re not alone.
Even the famed poet Maya Angelou said, “I’ve written 11 books. And each time, I think, uh. Oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’ll find me out.”
I don’t know a single coach who hasn’t had Imposter’s Syndrome, at least part of the time.
If everyone has it, is it impacting your business?
Here are five signs of Imposter Syndrome hurting your business and what to do about it.
1. You beat yourself up for ‘failures’ or ‘not moving fast enough.’
How this hurts your business:
Whenever you get nervous about failures or think, ‘I should be moving faster,’ it usually results in a flurry of activity. Activity isn’t harmful, but if it’s not thought-out or strategic, you’re doing ‘lots of activity’ but not necessarily making decisions that will be better for your business in the long run.
What to do about it:
Ask yourself, is there something I need to do more of or need to do faster? Sometimes you procrastinate reach-outs or other scary activities. That’s a good time to start a new habit, like reaching out to 10 potential clients per day (rather than 27 in one day and then none for the next two months.)
2. You over-stress about clients being happy.
How this hurts your business:
It’s valid to consider your client’s happiness. However, when you’re a coach, sometimes clients will be unhappy because you ask them to stretch or to do something uncomfortable. If you spend all your time trying to make clients happy (rather than helping them get the transformation they came to you for), you’ll end up with less-than-successful clients who won’t be satisfied anyway. Also, if you try to be available 24/7, you’ll have loosy-goosy boundaries that will hurt your private life.
What to do about it:
Ask yourself, ‘Is there an opportunity for something new in how I serve clients?’ Make sure you ask this question when you feel powerful; for example, after an excellent client session where the client is happy and grateful. If you determine that there is something new, work it into your schedule. Otherwise, keep firm during the less confident times!
3. You question your offering, your message, and whether you should be doing this.
How this hurts your business:
It’s challenging to market and sells confidently when you’re questioning the elements of your business. Your confidence is your #1 business-building tool - more than your marketing process and sales system. When you lack confidence, everything comes out weaker and less effective. (This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t WORK on your message. It’s one of the best things you can do to increase your revenues!)
What to do about it:
Keep a file of success stories and ‘thank-yous from clients. When you’re questioning, could you open it and read some of them? Get clear on the people you’ve helped (even if it was before your current coaching brand.)
4. You keep your prices low or need quicker to offer a discount.
How this hurts your business:
Duh. Not making the money you want and need is a problem.
But it’s more than that. When you claim to be a professional coach, you have standards. You have fees that you set (in a confident, bold moment.) If you’re acting like you’re running a flea market, you’re not stepping into your business as a professional coach.
What to do about it:
Don’t discount during an “in the moment” sales conversation. If you have discounts built in as part of a sales strategy, that’s different and can be effective, but then stick to what you’ve determined is the ‘fast-action discount.’ When you’re beginning, set an ‘initial price’ for your offering, and then commit to raising your prices with every client you book.
5. Imposter Syndrome means you don’t fully commit. You don’t make bold moves because you aren’t sure you can succeed.
How this hurts your business:
If you’re unsure whether a path is correct, you usually walk down it more slowly. You don’t go ‘all in’ because a part of you feels it’s safer to hold back. That means that usually, you won’t invest in the help you need, the infrastructure you need to create, and the person you need to become.
What to do about it:
Work with a business coach who will supportively push you to make the moves you need to make. Become part of a community that will support you in your commitments. And whatever you do, don’t do it alone. Building a professional coaching business is not a DIY activity.
If you see yourself in ANY of these, it’s time to do something different.
Schedule a ‘Breakthrough Call’ with my team and me to see how to turn YOUR Imposter’s Syndrome around.
Warmly,
Kirk
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